“Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so” – or how I came to love my heart rate

Yes, it’s Shakespeare again. This time, the Prince of Denmark himself – Hamlet – offers wise words to keep my experiences (in training and life) in perspective. This quote reminds me that our thinking plays an integral role in how we perceive our abilities, our training, and our potential. Think negative thoughts, increase the likelihood of negative outcomes. Think positive thoughts, increase the likelihood of positive outcomes. Sounds easy enough.

So, why am I so mean to myself?

I know better: I’ve read plenty of articles that talk about the power of positive thinking. I know that our brains are important training tools and must be pushed outside the comfort zone just as we do with the muscles and cardiovascular system.

I thought of Shakespeare’s words today as the sweat gushed from my pores, as I inadvertently spewed saliva because it was too much effort to keep my mouth closed, as I turned red hot in the face from the surge of blood, and as I ran as fast as I could for 20 minutes to determine my lactate threshold. My brain wanted me to slow down–but my body didn’t give in to the voices. I kept pushing. I kept breathing. I surprised myself this morning. I realized that my brain underestimates me. Hmm.

I recently started working with a coach. This week we are working on assessing my heart rate zones. Sure, you can use a quick formula based on age, but those estimates are only general approximations based on statistical aggregations of others. In other words: not individualized.The assessments involve figuring out my max heart rate and my lactate threshold (LT). (See the end of this post if you’d like a quick definition of each.)

The combination of these numbers, along with my resting heart rate, will give my coach a good sense of my capacity. Then, he will formulate my workouts based on levels of heart rate intensity, matching different intensities to various training objectives. For example, zone 2 is an optimal intensity for long, endurance workouts and races, such as–oh, I don’t know–let’s say an Ironman.  As I work toward my 2010 goals (Lake Placid and the VT50 the super big-deal goals, otherwise known as “A” priority races), I won’t train based on pace. I will train based on heart rate and time spent in the various intensity zones (1-5). To illustrate, on Sunday, I’m scheduled to run an hour and 30 minutes in zone 2, which based on my LT test is a heart rate between 148-158. Whatever the pace is during this time, it is.

This seems a fairly “scientific” process, right? How could my brain mess it up? Figure out the zones, dial them in, and stick to them. Yes, that does seem straightforward, except for one little problem: the process required to figure out max HR and LT requires some thinking on my part. Figuring out what these levels are depends upon my perceptions of the fastest pace I can run for a mile (max), and perceptions of the fastest pace I can maintain for 20 minutes of running (LT). Turns out, I have very “bad” thinking about my potential.

On Monday, Coach Kline ordered a max heart rate test which involved running a mile “all out”. Trouble is, my brain wasn’t very accurate in predicting what this pace should be. I started off too slowly, and by the time I realized I could definitely run harder, I only had a half mile left. While I definitely ran all out for the last 800 meters, it wasn’t enough. I came home feeling disappointed in myself and doubting my ability. My max HR was “low” – at least to my thinking. The worse part: I knew I hadn’t run to my potential. I blew it.  I began to fear that my 2010 goals were out of reach. I expressed these concerns to Coach Jeff, and he assured me that the “test was fine,” and it only nolvadex would be used for calculations. He indicated that the LT test was more important.

So, I woke up this morning, knowing that I had the LT test on the books for today. With a little bit of dread and a 10 minute warmup, I started to push the pace. For about 30 seconds, I ran at 7:15 min/mile pace. Then, I thought to myself, “I can run faster than this. Don’t make the same mistake you made on Monday.” I pushed the pace to about a 7:00 min/mile. It was hard, as it should be. The lactate threshold is the critical benchmark for intensity.

By the 5 minute mark, my body knew it had the right pace. As I approached the 17 minute mark, I was frothing a bit at the mouth, as is typical for me when I do speedwork Such a pretty girl, right?! While my brain might have had some doubts, my body did not. At 20 minutes, I hit the lap timer on my Garmin, and slowed the pace to cool down.

I had just run the fastest I had ever run for 20 minutes. Bring on the 5k race! Wow – a 7 minute/mile pace for 20 minutes? Who knew?! Surely, I’m reading someone else’s running log, right? Even now, I’m fighting the urge to think this morning was a fluke.

As I jogged easy for another 20 minutes, I could feel the endorphins flooding my body–my fingers, my toes, my heart, my brain. It was beautiful. My legs took my body for a ride as my heart rate came down to zone 2, and I finished the rest of my workout. Such peace.

From now on, I’m not listening to my brain–it just doesn’t know what it’s talking about. I know this resolution is easier to write here than to actually stick to it. Years of being self-doubt won’t disappear after just one great workout. If that were the case, the negative self-talk would be over. But, I have set a goal to be more mindful about my thoughts, and to find ways to counter the negative self-talk.

I’m looking forward to the challenge. Training based on heart zones will be a step in the right direction. I realized after this morning’s test that I have been regularly undertraining when I run based on pace. I doubt myself; I tell myself I’m not “that fast,” and consequently, this “bad” thinking makes me work under my intensity potential during training which can only result in race performances that are less than I’m capable of. I’ll be looking forward to where this training takes me over the next several months. I’ve got about 27 weeks until Ironman Lake Placid. I’m thinking I’ll be ready for it.

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A defining moment: Max heart rate is just that: the maximum beats per minute that my heart can sustain for a short time, say about a mile of running.  According to Joe Friel, in the The Triathlete’s Training Bible,

“The lactate threshold (LT) is also sometimes called anaerobic threshold. Lactic acid is produced from the breakdown of carbohydrate and becomes lactate that builds up in the blood, a chain reaction that ultimately interferes with muscle contraction. The level of intensity at which accumlation of lactate beings is called the ‘lactate threshold.’ This is a critical event […] Lactate threshold serves as an intensity ‘landmark.’ Exercising below LT, or working aerobically, is relatively easy and may be continued for hours, depending on an athlete’s fitness level. But the duration of the workout or race must be greatly reduced when exercising above LT, or exercising anaerobically” (p. 44).

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Support Academic Endurance!

Throughout 2010, I’m training and racing for the Iron Scholarship Fund, which will reward academic endurance for students who are economically disadvantaged. My goal is to raise $5,000. So far, I’ve raised $350.00. Find out how you can support The Iron Scholarship Fund, just click https://www.runningalife.com/?page_id=374.

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